The present invention relates to a television set with a cabinet and a cover element connected therewith, the cover element being positionable over the front of the picture screen. Especially years ago it was quite common that television sets had a roll-front cabinet, and by that means it was possible to shut off the picture screen when not in use. When the television is not being used the set is left with a dull grey picture screen, which is architectonically undesirable both in relation to a desired attractive appearance of the set itself and also by insistently. reminding the people present in the room of the presence of the set. In a sense the roll-front cabinet was an excellent means of facilitating the opening up and shutting off the screen as desired, but in general this as well as similar cover arrangements have been abandoned, e.g. simple doors in front of the picture tube, because there is no special user demand for the presence of such devices. The users have gradually accepted the visual presence of the picture screen, also when in its switched off mode it only has a dull grey appearance and, even when given the possibility of closing a screen cover element, the users generally do not utilize this facility.
The users have additionally and accordingly got used to accepting that when switching the set on or off certain picture distortions occur.
By the present invention it has been realized that the user will not necessarily have to take any action to achieve a desirable covering of the dull, idle picture screen, nor will be compelled to accept having to look at an underqualified picture at the beginning and ending of the periods of use of the set. According to the invention an apparatus can be provided which automatically ensures covering up the picture screen depending on whether or not the set is actually in use, i.e. purely electrically controlled. A cover arrangement for the picture screen may well be controlled depending on the set being switched on and off, respectively. According to the invention it is even possible to arrange this control such that the cover arrangement after switch-on of the set does not open until the picture has been perfectly established, respectively that the covering be activated immediately at switch-off while the fading of the picture is automatically delayed until the covering has been completed, such that the user at switch on and off of the set will not experience the incorrect picture reproduction occurring during the respective initial and final phases. In the same way as in a cinema with a screen curtain the user will experience that a fully established picture is shown from the start, just as it is a full and undistorted picture that is covered at the end.
In addition it will be achieved that the picture screen is kept covered up whenever the television set is not in use, as the cover arrangement is activated in immediate or automatic response to the user's operation of the set only to switch this set on or off, i.e. the user does not have to attend especially to activating the cover arrangement. The set can comprise time delay means or sensors for the appearance of a "normal picture" after the set has been switched on, such that when switched on the screen is not uncovered until the picture has become fully established, while correspondingly the set is not caused to be switched off until the cover arrangement has managed to completely cover the picture screen. The user will thus always experience a perfect picture also in the switch-on/off phases, also achieving that the dull, grey screen will be covered any time the set is not in use, without the user having to take other action than the usual switching on and off the set, i.e. without any special attention to the operation of the cover arrangement.
The known roll-front or even corresponding doors may well constitute the cover arrangement of the present invention provided the relevant arrangement can be electrically activated. This, however, will cause various obvious inconveniences and according to a preferred embodiment of the invention a roller blind system is placed in the space between the picture screen and a front glass of the set, preferably in the form of two roller blinds which can be drawn horizontally from either side similarly to a partition curtain across a theater stage or a cinema screen. The curtain fabric or sheet is in no way required to imitate a furniture front, but may have any reasonable design as a neutral or decorative cover element, all except dull grey.
By the application of a partition curtain which is parted and gathered at the center of the picture screen a harmonious symmetrical effect at the opening and closing operation will be implied, and moreover a comparatively fast opening can be achieved, which may be adapted to a comparatively short heating time of the picture tube.
By a preferred moving mechanism for the partition curtain as described below it suffices to use a relatively small motor, and the entire curtain arrangement can be embodied in a simple and inexpensive manner.